Crews from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East tested several pump stations around the New Orleans area ahead of hurricane season 2016.

Pump stations across New Orleans being tested before start of hurricane season

Crews from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East tested several pump stations around the New Orleans area ahead of hurricane season 2016.

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Updated: 5:26 PM CDT May 24, 2016

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WEBVTT STED TODAY -- THE LONDONAVENUE CANAL.KELSEY: ON MONDAY, CREWS WITHTHE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ANDTHE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA FLOODPROTECTION AUTHORITY EAST WERETESTING OUT FLOOD GATES ON THESTORM SURGE BARRIER IN THEINTRACOSTAL WATERWAY IN NEWORLEANS EAST. TODAY, THEY'RE TURNING THEIRATTENTION TO SEVERAL PUMPSTATIONS AROUND THE NEW ORLEANSAREA -- THE 17TH STREET CANAL,THE LONDON AVENUE CANAL AND THEORLEANS AVENUE CANAL. WITH ME RIGHT NOW IS HEATH JONESWITH THE ARMY CORPS OFENGINEERS. I KNOW YOU ALL TEST THESE PUMPSOUT ONCE A MONTH BEFOREHURRICANE SEASON STARTS, ANDONCE THE SEASON STARTS, YOU TESTTHEM TWICE MONTHLY. WHAT IS IT YOU'RE LOOKING FORWHEN YOU'RE RUNNING THE PUMPSDURING TESTS?>> WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SUREEVERYTHING IS FUNCTIONINGPROPERLY. IT'S A COMPLEX SYSTEM WE HAVEOUT HERE. WE HAVE 11 PUMPS, 11 GATESSPECIFICALLY AT THIS LOCATION. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THATEVERYTHING IS FUNCTIONINGPROPERLY. IF SOMETHING IS WRONG, WE MAKENECESSARY REPAIRS BEFOREHURRICANE SEASON STARTS.KELSEY: IT MAY SEEM LIKE ANOBVIOUS QUESTION, BUT WHAT ISEXACTLY THAT THESE PUMPS AREDOING AS FAR AS PROTECTING THECITY OF NEW ORLEANS?>> WHEN WE LOWER THE GATES HERE,WE SHUT OFF THE DRAINAGECAPACITY TO THE CITY ON THELONDON AVENUE CANAL. WHAT THESE PUMPS DO IS THEY TAKETHAT WATER, PUTS IT OVER THEGATES AND PUTS IT INTO LAKEPONTCHARTRAIN. WHEN THE GATES ARE CLOSED, STORMSURGE IS PREVENTED FROM GOINGINTO THE LONDON AVENUE CANAL. WATER CANNOT FLOW THROUGH THEGATES, SO WE PUMP THEM OVER TOTHE OTHER SIDE.KELSEY: OBVIOUSLY, YOU GUYS ANDTHE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA FLOODPROTECTION AUTHORITY ARE KEEPINGA CLOSE EYE ON ALL THE STORMPROTECTION SYSTEMS, BUT WHAT ISTHAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NEEDTO BE DOING EVERY DAY,BUT ESPECIALLY AS WE APPROACHHURRICANE SEASON?>> THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLICNEED TO HAVE A PLAN.THEY NEED TO HEED THEIR LOCALOFFICIALS' ADVICE. IF THEY'RE ASKED TO EVACUATE,THEY NEED TO DO THAT. THIS IS A RISK REDUCTION SYSTEM,WHICH MEANS THERE IS AN INHERENTRISK LEFT OVER ONCE THE SYSTEMIS CLOSED. WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO FOLLOW THELOCAL OFFICIALS' ADVICE ANDEVACUATE IF NECESSARY.KELSEY: THANK YOU, HEATH. HURRICANE SEASON STARTS NEXTWEEK. AS YOU HEARD HIM SAY, MAKE SUREYOU HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE IF YOUDON'T HAVE ONE YET. THEY'RE DOING THEIR PART TO KEEPYOU SAFE, BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE APERSONAL PLAN FOR YOURSELF ANDYOUR FAMILY. REPORTING AT THE LONDON AVENUE

Pump stations across New Orleans being tested before start of hurricane season

Crews from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East tested several pump stations around the New Orleans area ahead of hurricane season 2016.